I have to admit I have never read the policy, as I never read any small printof anything, life is too short, but one area I believe should be changed based on the way posts are handled by moderators are queries on issues where parts may be needed to help a person and where to get these or even people being able to offer them etc.

My view is as long as a person is not raising posts soliciting the sale of anything as the agenda item, people requesting help through threads on what is needed and even be able to provide should be encouraged and not discouraged. It always seems to me to remove the ethos of helping someone rather than putting people off helping people....Cannot understand the logic for this, but hey this is my view...A few years ago people often use to do this and it was less discouraged, I believe it would make for a more helpful forum if this was allowed obviously within the boudaries of someone intentionally trying to sell things..This change should not cause issues I believe to anyone and if anything change the tone of posts.....

What you're suggesting is pretty much the unstated policy. The stated policy is less ambiguous, partly for concision, in the hope that people will read it. It's applied with discretion because, inevitably, there's a grey area which can be exploited by anyone who doesn't care to abide by the User Agreement. When someone posts about parts they're after, they're often reminded of the User Agreement, in case they haven't read it.
It's quite acceptable to ask for assistance in obtaining parts, but I'd still recommend placing a wanted advert in the Market.

I totally agree with Treefrog. This site comes off as a bunch of petty nazi's about posting wanted ads or trying to sell anything. Having the separate Market system complicates it compared to the other coin-op etc sites I've used over the years. I rarely if ever even look at those annoying little pics in the top right corner! Why can't the Wanted and For Sale just be two separate board index categories?? Then at least the topics would be well talked about and a lot less issue with jumping down the throat of newbies posting in the wrong areas.

I like the way they
Run the advertising antiques site,now old shop stuff ,same gang
What ever you google the same site comes up,,,
If anyone finds something they show it and everyone
Comments ,they also ask is it for sale
And then it's up to the owner wether he's selling it or not
And just throws a price up if yes
Then it's the 1 st one to pm him or agree a price

Or people just say
Anyone interested in this ,so and so pounds
And there's never mods on there site saying,,
Sell that else were son,,

Thanks guys for your input.
I thought I was a wet liberal, so "petty Nazi" comes as a shock - especially if I could have been a proper Nazi!
Anyway, rather than repeating the reasons for the rule as it stands, I'll give the matter more thought in light of your comments. I'd not discovered http://www.oldshopstuff.com, so I'll examine with interest how they play it. I'm away shortly for a bit, but will return to the topic soon.

I wasn't accusing any one person of being the petty nazi PM, just the site as a whole coming across like that to newbies and other users. Maybe that's part of the reason so few members actually post anything at all, because they don't want to make any mistakes and look stupid?? I guess because I'm in another country is the reason I show no in interest in the Market section? But I'd to like to post my thoughts on what people are looking for/selling etc and try to help them find the right source for what they need.

I think it's a very good site as it is.If people choose not to read the user agreement and post in the general forum instead of the market then it seems to me they are directed to the right category in a curteous manner.

But yes perhaps I should have read it first...it is a subtle thing I guess and finding the balance can be difficult......by the way I continue to get private messages sent to me, but not through the forum, they come with full email address direct to me even from new people....odd